Design options to support executive function:

Supporting self-regulation, building independence, and collaborative skills

If the students don't seem to have fully mastered the underlying skills required to accomplish tasks I am asking them to do, part of my responsibility is to help them build such skills to the best of my ability. Of course the students need to meet me halfway, but recognizing that study skills and self-awareness are difficult for many students who are still very much developing these skills has led me to be more transparent and supportive on these levels. The result has been more and better dialogue with the students.

Scaffolding meta-skills:

Teaching "learn how to learn"
Transparency of reasons behind learning activities

At right is a video I created to guide students in studying for one of their exams using the Feynman method. I snuck in a bit of content review, scaffolding the use of a collaborative concept grid, and tying together various course materials.

Study skills video

Here's the course evaluation survey I sent to my students. It prompted them to reflect on the experiences of what worked for them, and what didn't. I hope that modeling this reflective practice as a teacher by asking for specific feedback about course methods helps them internalize the process of continued growth. I plan to continue this every year, with a similar activity at midterm.

UDL feedback survey:

Anyone who would like to use this course assessment survey template is welcome to do so: please contact me through Dawson if you would like access to a copy.

The survey was designed with UDL and the specific goals of my project in mind. It starts with the affective networks, by framing the discussion with questions about motivation and interest. Then it moves on to the representative networks, asking students about access to course materials and instructions, as well as pedagogical activities chosen. The assignments and evaluations sections look at the strategic networks to help the teacher and students understand how their learning is related to the course assessments. This feedback is critical for me to continue to improve my course, but an equally important goal was to encourage the students to reflect on their own learning processes.

Student feedback video

The results?

Some things worked, some didn't. I got lots of really great feedback from students both of the "do more of that" and "needs work" variety. Most of the things I shared on this site are the "do more of that" stuff.

It's an unfinished process. It should never be finished...hence "continued growth" ;-)

That's the beauty of teaching. There's no room for boredom.

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